The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-06-23

h morning OF the Fourth when the
three boys unlocked the church-door.
1t was very quiet for a Fourth Of July
morning. Now and then came the
banging of a gun, the feeble popping
fire-crackers and torpedoes, and the
dismal shrek of the fish-horn; but
there were very few people astir.
This stupid old town will get a wax
ing up in a minute now. And people
ought t thank us. It'sa burning shame
to have it so still. You may be sure
they're making things lively over at
B%orrowsville by this time"
Borrowsville was a town on the other
side of the river where the boys meant
to assist in the celebration after they
had walked up Cherryfield.
"They won't thank us, you know"
said Tenny Cole. 'Boys never are ap-
p~reciated."
II don't expect it will be just exactly
thanks that we shall get" said True,
dryly, as he turned the key in the lock
behind them. anybody that's afraid
had better back out now"
Nobody backed out. Six hands seiz-
ed the bell rope. There was "a long
pull, a strong pull and a pull all to-
gether."
But no sound followed. They looked
at each other in silent amazement, and
tried it again. They could feel that
the bell swayed backward and forward;
but it did not ring. What could be the
reasonp
Somebody must have mufied It'll"
exclaimed Bob.
"We'n go up and see what's the mat
ter, anyway" said True.
A long, long fight of steep and mar
row stairs led to the first landing in
the church steeple. Beyond that was
a ladder leading to the bell-loft.
There was o trap-door which they
| pushed open, and all scrambled up to
the loft.
"H here isn't a go! The tongue is
gone from the bell!" cried True. SHOW
who do you suppose did thatP"
"Rosy must have told of US. / just
wish we hadn't given her all that
candy!" exclaimed Tenney.
The great bell hung there empty,
powerless to arouse any Fourth Of July
enthusiasm, and looking as sad as if it
realized its dumbness.
81 should just like to catch the fell
low that did that" said Rob, flourish
ing his fist at an imaginary foe, and, as
he did SO, unfortunately striking the
| trap-door with his elbow, and causing
it to fall with a crash.
1t was somewhat dark in the loft, now
that the trap-door was closed. the only
light coming from a little round win
dow, like q port-hole in a vessel, far
above their heads.
"Lift up the door, Rob. We may as
well go down. Whoever took that tongue
out wouldn't leave it where we could
find it, you may be sure" said True.
But when Rob tried to lift the door,
10 and behold! it stuck fast. The iron
ring which once served as q handle was
broken off, and there was no way by
which they could get a sufficiently firm
hold to pull with any considerable
amount of strength. They tried to
pry it open with their knives, but only
succeeded in breaking them.
And time was wearing away, and
the Borfowsville celebration must be
getting toward its liveliest.,
ats of no use to holler. Nobody
could hear u.s." said Tenney, despair
ingly.
"lt's a pretty place to spend the
Fourth in" said Rob, with a groan.
ats worse than Sir Lionel in the
dragons cave, cause he had some
thing to fight How long do you sup
pose it will be before they miss us OF
home and come to look for us?"
"Why, they'd never think of coming
here to look!" said True. "And my
mother said I might stay all night
with my cousins over at Brownsville.
She won't expect me home till to-mor.
row, and your folks will think you've
stayed with me Any way, they would
never think we were up in the church.
steeple."
..But when she knows we're lost,
Rosy Movie will tell, if she hasn't al
ready, exclaimed Tenney.
"She won't She's too much afraid
of her father to tell that she gave Ut
the key" said True.
"But he'll find out that the key j.
gone, and then he'll suspect that we
are here,'' said Tenney, who was de
termined to look on the bright side
Next Sunday. maybe! We shall b
kc~-o ~ 11n@I Ioforo <han - oos1 pDk
who was not proving himself as brave
as his desire for fighting had led hi!
comrades to suppose.
Somebody must have got wind o
what we meant to do, or the tongue
wouldn't have been taken out of thu
BELL" said Tenney; land no n coult
be mean enough to keep us here fol
long on the Fourth of july"
"Sandy Movie is mean enough TO
anything" said Rob; "and perhap
they have only taken the tongue out t
repairit, or something of that kind.
Sandy Movie meanwhile arose a
five o'clock, and took a walk aroun'
the church. There was no broker
window. $50 they gave it up, tn
young r~ascals, and have probably gon
over to Borrowsville to do thei
celebrating" said the sexton to him
sell, and felt a disappointment
that he should be denied tn
grim satisfaction of bringing tn
young rascals to justice. "Well, Chez
ryfield will be the quieter for their be
ing out of it to-day" he added, to cor
sole himself.
If not exactly out of Cherryfelt
. they were certainly too far above it t